Cost of Living Comparison Between Lae and Port Moresby Cost of Living Comparison Between Lae and Port Moresby

🙂 Solo nomad: Lae is 59.4% cheaper than Port Moresby without rent, and 29% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Lae is 41.7% cheaper than Port Moresby without rent, and 58.2% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.68 PGK 43.6

$9.42 PGK 38.46

13.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.7 PGK 227

$48.68 PGK 199

14.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.09 PGK 24.87

Cappuccino

$2.92 PGK 11.94

$2.31 PGK 9.43

26.41%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 PGK 3.55

$0.75 PGK 3.07

16.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 PGK 2.4

$0.8 PGK 3.25

-26.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.68 PGK 15

$2.46 PGK 10.05

49.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 PGK 22.99

$4.14 PGK 16.92

35.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 PGK 8.61

$1.95 PGK 7.96

8.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 PGK 6.33

$1.61 PGK 6.55

-3.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 PGK 5.78

$1.57 PGK 6.4

-9.55%

Eggs

$4.32 PGK 17.63

$3.91 PGK 15.95

10.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.09 PGK 41.21

$4.57 PGK 18.66

120.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.62 PGK 39.28

$6.18 PGK 25.23

55.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.32 PGK 46.21

$9.68 PGK 39.53

16.94%

Apples (1kg)

$4.71 PGK 19.24

$4.06 PGK 16.59

16.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.93 PGK 11.95

$2.94 PGK 11.99

-0.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.41 PGK 26.17

$5.52 PGK 22.52

16.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 PGK 6.69

$5.73 PGK 23.38

-71.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.67 PGK 14.96

$3.33 PGK 13.58

10.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 PGK 10.4

$2.67 PGK 10.89

-4.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 PGK 3.07

$2.94 PGK 11.99

-74.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 PGK 3.84

$1.33 PGK 5.42

-29.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.02 PGK 28.68

$6.65 PGK 27.15

5.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 PGK 53.5

$11.78 PGK 48.11

11.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.7 PGK 11.04

$2.9 PGK 11.82

-6.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.8 PGK 19.58

$3.7 PGK 15.1

29.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 PGK 1.41

$0.46 PGK 1.89

-26.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.45 PGK 99.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 PGK 23.93

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.53 PGK 10.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.48 PGK 67.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 PGK 4.72

$1.14 PGK 4.65

1.75%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.6K PGK 92.1K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.7K PGK 101K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$104 PGK 426

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$48.05 PGK 196

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$378 PGK 1,543

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.3 PGK 271

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 PGK 82.7

Cinema Ticket

$9.88 PGK 40.32

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$643 PGK 2,627

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,071 PGK 16.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.29 PGK 128

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.43 PGK 149

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 PGK 311

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98 PGK 400

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$7,981 PGK 32.6K

$2,168 PGK 8,852

268.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$736 PGK 3,004

$486 PGK 1,982

51.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,456 PGK 5,942

$3,450 PGK 14.1K

-57.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$836 PGK 3,413

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,064 PGK 4,342

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,440 PGK 18.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 PGK 669

$416 PGK 1,698

-60.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.33

Citycost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lae: October 28, 2025

Last update for Port Moresby: October 27, 2025

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